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To better understand the chiropractic approach to treating the cervical spine,
let's look at four different patients who have consulted a chiropractor for
neck pain. These examples will touch on four conditions treated in chiropractic
practice:
(1) Postural and repetitive strain
(2) Traumatic injury
(3)"Slipped", herniated and ruptured disc
(4) Neck pain associated with normal aging and osteoarthritis
Each Patient is Unique
Even though we are identifying four common conditions, an important principle
of chiropractic is always to treat the patient as an individual with a unique
clinical picture. "Treat the patient and not the problem" is one way to state
this principle. At the same time, as diagnostic tools are used to match a patient's
symptoms and findings with a diagnosis, the chiropractor attempts to see what
distinctive combination of factors might be contributing to the patient's symptoms.
Some of these factors are diverse and include mechanical findings, hereditary
considerations, and lifestyle.
What will be evident as we discuss the chiropractic approach is that the image
of the chiropractor "twisting" the neck is a caricature of what actually occurs
in chiropractic practice. Chiropractors have a wide range of therapeutic tools
that include gentle manipulation and adjusting, and non-force and soft tissue
techniques. These manual approaches are augmented by exercise programs, nutrition
and lifestyle suggestions, and a partnership concept of doctor/patient care
to provide a unique chiropractic approach to health.
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